An Andon system is a set of processes and resources to communicate, clearly and immediately, the critical variables of an industrial or logistics process to all the people involved. It is used to monitor production lines, quality control systems and in general all areas in which teamwork is required to accomplish an objective.
The main benefits of Andon systems are:

  • transparency in production areas;
  • immediate distribution of information;
  • efficient resource allocation.

The information displayed is very diverse, although it frequently includes some of the following items:

  • production line process flows;
  • current status of machines or work stations;
  • display of errors, alarms or material shortages;
  • trends in the number of parts produced or quality ratios;
  • cycle time, time;
  • production status.

Technical requirements of an Andon system

A display must fulfil the following requirements to be part of an Andon system:

  • high message visibility to guarantee the communication of the message to its recipients;
  • constant integration with the IT system, ERP management or machine PLC;
  • capacity to display any kind of message instantly;
  • use of signals (traffic lights, colour codes) for quick reading of the information;
  • 24×7 availability.

Lartet’s Andon systems

Lartet has long-standing experience in the design and manufacture of displays for Andon systems. These systems are frequently personalised to suit customer requirements. The project is based on the Lartet set of technologies.

  • High digit visibility. Digit height from 30 mm to 250 mm, guaranteeing readability from up to 120 m.
  • Displays with digits on one or two faces; this permits optimal device location and minimises the number of devices to be installed.
  • Capacity to display large volumes of information concurrently. The devices can have up to 8 lines of digits, with up to 26 characters per line.
  • Integration with a great number of data buses (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, RS-485, Profibus, DeviceNet) and adaptability to special protocols.
  • Messages can be chained together with variables such as the time, the date or other user-defined variables. Special effects are available (flashing, negative colour) to highlight information.
  • Inclusion of colour codes, traffic lights and pictograms.
  • Relays can be used to trigger actions (horns, processes, alarms, etc.).
  • The devices can be located outdoors or in environments with particles in suspension (IP65, IP54).